Silver Memories
by im ur misconception
Summary: At the end of their journey a very tired & World weary Kagome makes her wish. But it isn't what they all thought. Now she is transported to a new world, being treated as a experiment by Hojo and training to be a soldier. Only one thing is wrong, her personality doesn't seem like her own. Throw in the fact she had to hide she female and add in male Chaos..Can Romance Bloom?
1. Chapter 1

_**Silver Memories**_

_By_

_Im ur misconception_

The day had finally come for them. With the Jewel of four souls complete and Naraku now dead, all that remained was for her to make the wish. With world weary, tired cobalt blue eyes, Kagome looked at the battered and dirty rag tag group around her. Well, all but the infamous Taiyokai of the west Sesshomaru. A faint smile curved her lips as she made eye contact with each person, before looking down at the small pink pearl-like jewel pulsating in her hand. Nodding her head, she quickly peeked up at them all through her bangs. It was a bit hard to believe that it had been almost three full years now since her journey had started that fateful day, on her fifteenth birthday, when she fell down the old seal shrine well.

She gave a soft sigh that was mixed with a small snort of laughter, making the others look at her with curiosity, and lifting her head, Kagome met the eyes of each person once more, ending on her adoptive son's beautiful green orbs. Giving a small nod of her head, she closed her eyes, lifting the jewel up so it rested over her heart. Kagome took a deep breath and summoned her own Ki from deep within her body, allowing it to flow out around her and into the jewel, when she was hit with the sudden sensation of being sucked into a void, reminiscent of when she was pulled down the well, and each time she traveled through it..

"You are ready to make your wish now, Kagome?" a definitive female voice echoed around her.

Once more Kagome nodded her head as she opened her mind's eye to see a white and black void around her floating body. Her eyes shifted to the left and right, before catching on a tall, dark-haired woman with cobalt blue eyes like hers. Her mental self smiled at the woman in warm understanding, but still she didn't say a thing, as the woman raised her eyebrows up to her hair line, her own eyes showing that understanding of what the girl wanted.

"Are you sure you want this, Kagome? There will be no return once you make this wish, and it isn't completely selfless either, so the Jewel will continue to remain in existence," the woman spoke, as she took a few steps forward toward Kagome.

Taking a deep breath and letting out a long, melodramatic sigh, Kagome stared up into the eyes of her true ancestor, the one that she was a reincarnation of, Midoriko, the Priestess from whom the Jewel of four souls originated. "Yes Midoriko. I am sure of this wish. My reasoning is this, I no longer belong in my future time, and here in the past, while I care deeply for my companions, the truth is that the one I want to be with, will never love me for who I am, but the person I look like."

Midoriko looked at her descendant with a calm worry in her blue eyes as they darkened to an almost midnight hue. Reaching out, she pulled Kagome into a hug, stroking her now waist-length, curly black hair. "Then child, speak your wish so that the kamis will hear it. Speak without hesitation in your heart, soul, and mind. Remain true to what you want, and we shall see if they are feeling gracious."

Kagome waited till Midoriko stepped away from her, her own eyes darkening as she pulled on more of her power. "I wish on thee, Jewel of four souls. Please hear what I say, and grant that wish to the best of your abilities," Kagome intoned in a voice laced with her own miko powers. Soon, the Jewel against her breast flashed brightly, blinding those that stood around her still body as they watched her physical form began to glow with the pink touch of her Miko power. Her mouth moved, speaking her wish silently as the others tried to read what her lips were saying.

"The wish I ask you to grant, is to let everyone have what their heart of hearts truly desire. For the love I feel for them is a reflection of me wanting them to be happy. That my family and friends both past and future are taken care of and never forget me. For I wish to be taken to a place, away from here, were I will be needed, and I can find my happiness on my own," Kagome gasped as she felt her body become encompassed in a massive wave of pressure.

That pressure made her feel very small and tiny, as she began to hear many voices in her head. The loud, cacophonous drone was almost deafening, making her want to scream out in pain, but she knew that she had to endure, since it was a test of her resoluteness. She let her eyes search out Midoriko who was staring at her with sad, yet happy looking eyes. Then, it was all over, and her mind was silent, once more her own, the pressure no longer pressing her body. Blinking a few times, she just looked in confused awe at her companion, who smiled warmly.

"Your wish is granted, but there is a price that must be paid for a selfish wish, young lady. Go now. Tell your friends goodbye, and see what changes you have wrought in their eyes. I will be here waiting to explain some details of your new life when you're ready." Midoriko curled her lips into a slightly sardonic smile as she turned her back to Kagome.

Understanding that she was being dismissed, Kagome called her power back to her, allowing her mind to reconnect to her physical body. As she started to come to, Kagome felt a harsh pain just under her breast bone, causing her to gasp and clasp at it. Opening her eyes, she looked down to see the faint glow of the jewel from under her shirt before it finished merging with her body once more. Lifting her cobalt eyes to the scene before her, she found a mixed reaction on all her friends' faces, and her lips lifted in a small, sad smile.

Miroku and Sango looked the same, except that they were holding hands, and Miroku wasn't showing any inclination that he was gonna grope Sango. Her eyes traveled down to Kirara and Shippo who were standing there looking at her with pain clearly written into their faces, making Kagome's heart skip a beat. Soon enough, she turned away from them, almost as if in shame, to see a look of obvious anger on Sesshomaru's face. There were no visible signs of him having changed, making her wonder what exactly the man who wanted nothing would wish for. Beside him, Rin and Jakken just stared at her, the latter with his toad mouth hanging open in shock, while Rin sniffled as silent tears began to fall down her cheeks. Once more, she turned her face away with shame more clearly written across it, only to have her gaze land on the man she had come to love, InuYasha, and her jaw dropped open at what she was seeing.

There he stood arms crossed, tapping his foot in his normal irritated and impatient attitude. Unable to believe her eyes, Kagome walked towards him, lifting her hands up, and rubbed the two small white triangle ears on his head, causing his face to turn an embarrassed shade of red. It was clear to her that he was still a hanyou. When she finished, Kagome took a few steps back, her face showing the curiosity that she was feeling as she just looked at him.

"WHAT! You act as if you haven't seen them before. _AS_ to _WHY_ I am still a hanyou, it is because this is how you met me and fell in love with me. But I have a feeling that it doesn't matter now, does it Kagome?" he barked, baring his fangs in anger at her.

Pain written on her face, she took several more steps back so she could see them all in her gaze. When she stopped, Kagome just looked at them, feeling the hot sting of tears as they began to fall from her eyes unheeded, leaving twin burning trails down her cheeks. Her shame caused her cheeks to flame red, only confirming InuYasha's insinuation, making the others' reaction more defined. Not hanging her head this time, Kagome stood up straight to her full height.

"No, you are correct InuYasha. I made my wish, that all of you, along with my friends and family in the future, are happy, protected and get what you want most, but I also made a wish for myself." Her voice trailed off as she lifted her head up, showing she had no regrets. "To the kamis I asked that I be sent to another place and time where I am needed and can find love on my own, a love that doesn't come with any requirements or strings attached. Truth be told, I am exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. I do not belong in my own time any more, and here has a lot of bad memories. Can you honestly tell me InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and you too Lord Sesshomaru, without any of your emotions clouding your opinion, that I would be happy here with all that has happened? That everything would be peachy and perfect?"

Her words were met with complete silence. She looked at them, noting that InuYasha's ears had gone flat against his head, while Miroku and Sango honestly averted their eyes. Sesshomaru just narrowed his gaze as Rin hid behind him, trying to smother her sobs in his haori pants. When her gaze came to Kirara and Shippo, there was a pain tearing at heart so strong, to see the loss and hurt in their eyes, making her shoulders slump ever so slightly as she sighed.

"Mama... would you like to know what my wish was?" A small child like voice came from the little kitsune as she watched him take a few tentative steps forward.

Looking at him as he did so, almost like he was scared of her or what was to come, she nodded her head as she knelt down, holding her arms out to him. At the action, she found the small kit running into her arms, along with the fire cat as well. She knew that Kirara had taken to her quite a bit over the last few years, but to this extent was a bit shocking. Hugging them close, she looked down at the ginger hair of her adopted son, waiting for him to speak. She had a feeling that she knew what he had wished for, but hearing it would make a difference.

"Mama, I wished that I would always be with you. No matter what happened, I would always go with you wherever you went. That way, I could make sure you were okay, cause I love you so much." His voice trembled, as he lifted his green eyes, wavering with unshed tears.

His words were the final nail in the cracked dam, causing Kagome to sob aloud, tightening her hold onto Shippo and Kirara. It took her a few minutes to regain her composure, but when she did, Kagome stood up and looked at her friends and companions once more. All the emotions she felt, both the ones she had openly shared and kept hidden all this time, showed there in her dark cobalt eyes as her body became rigid.

"Your choice has been made, your wish granted. There is a resoluteness in you that I haven't previously seen. If this is what you truly wish, Lady Kagome, then all we can do is accept it and allow you this small bit of happiness. But do, before you decide to leave, say proper goodbyes. Rin and even Jakken will miss you," a deep yet mellow voice half growled at her.

It wasn't often that any of them got to hear Sesshomaru speak, more than a single sentence in one breath. So all 6 turned their eyes to him in shock, while a soft sputtering of indignation could be heard from the area around his feet. This caused a small soft giggle laced with sobbing to come from behind him, which in turn made Kagome and the others chuckle softly aloud. The mood was now lightened as they all looked at each other.

"Well, I do hate long goodbyes, but I have Midoriko waiting on me. So I guess it is time to do that, and thank you Lord Sesshomaru for your words," she mumbled shyly all of a sudden as she knelt down once more to set Shippo and Kirara on the ground.

She stood back up, her normal bright sunny smile on her lips, making her blue eyes dance, and with a small soft laugh, she walked forward, lifting her arms up and open, in Miroku's and Sango's direction. Neither hesitated as they met her half way, embracing her in a warm hug of their own. It was something that was familiar and yet alien to Kagome as she released them, to look at the couple that had a huge struggle to be together. This was especially true considering Miroku had a habit of being a pervert with a wandering hand, whilst Sango was a proper lady who refused to grieve until all the souls of her village was laid to rest. Knowing that they would have a chance to have a normal relationship, or as much as possible if Miroku didn't change his way, made her very happy.

Next, she walked to InuYasha, who still had his ears laid flat against his head. The smile was still on her lips as she looked at the man or rather hanyou she had fell in love with, traveled all of feudal japan with, and fought along side with. A bit of hesitation showed in his movements before he walked slowly towards her. Kagome felt a small wave of trepidation as she lifted her arms to hug him, slightly tilting her head down, but when his arms wrapped around her, Kagome exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. Lifting her eyes up, she looked at InuYasha's sad and apologetic golden eyes. The words that were on his lips she didn't want to hear, but knew she had to hear them, even if they would only cause the hurt in her heart to deepen.

"K-Kagome I am sorry. It took me a long time to realize that I cared deeply for you. I don't like you leaving like this, but I understand that, like you, I know we could never have a relationship like you truly deserve, since I cannot love you like you truly deserve." As he finished, InuYasha dropped his arms and stepped back, a faint smile on his lips, showing his small fangs.

"Thank you InuYasha, for understanding. It does mean a lot that you understand why in part I am doing this," Kagome said, as she lifted a hand to wipe away some errant tears that had spilled over again.

A faint tugging sensation came from where the jewel was now embedded in her chest, letting her know that time was getting short, so not wanting to continue looking in his eyes, she turned to face InuYasha's brother Lord Sesshomaru. Kagome was at a loss for what to do. As she looked at the Taiyokai for a few silent seconds, his own golden eyes bored into hers, and the smile on her lips became a bit hesitant. Letting her eyes travel over him, down his body to the small imp Jakken and the small girl with black hair and soft doe brown eyes standing behind him. As her gaze went back up, inspiration bit her in the butt, and she gasped, causing the Taiyokai to blink once.

Throwing away her hesitation, Kagome clapped her hands and walked forward. She knelt down, grabbing Rin in a hug as she whispered her goodbye to the small girl, who just hiccuped and grinned as she looked down at Jakken. The small imp visibly shuddered under that grin, then without warning, threw his hands up in the air and ran away screaming, Rin following closely behind him. Neither would go too far from where Sesshomaru was, which was a good thing for Kagome. Standing up, she looked the Taiyokai in the face with her smile, as she lifted her left hand to indicate that she wanted to shake his hand. What he did next shocked not only her, but all others in the clearing as he stepped forward and took her hand in his only one, and shook her hand firmly.

Feeling her face grow ten degrees hotter, her instincts kicked in, and she hugged him back. Kagome began to release a small fine stream of her Ki, letting it down her arm and Sesshomaru's, before focusing it on his left arm, the arm that he had lost in his encounter in InuYasha's and his father's tomb. As she did so, she felt him release his own Youki, as if mimicking her, letting it wrap down his arm before it circled up her own. It confused her as it focused on two spots, one being her forehead and the other where the jewel now rested. Their powers synced up and merged as they did their task, leaving each feeling strange, but once it was done, Kagome stepped away first, letting go of his right hand, her eyes wide in amazed shock as she looked up at the smirking Lord of the west, who was now flexing his new left arm.

"Am I to take it Lord Sesshomaru that you like what I have given you?" she whispered softly, her eyes hooded.

In response to her question, he leaned in and whispered into her ears, so only she could hear. "Yes, Lady Kagome, I do indeed like what you have given me. I hope you like what I have given you in return, since no matter where you go, you are mine."

With those cryptic words, he turned and walked towards the edge of the clearing, his intent obvious, as he called for Rin and Jakken to follow him, leaving Kagome to stand there with confusion and consternation written on her face. With a slightly annoyed huff, she placed her hands on her hips and spun to look at the others. That tugging sensation in her chest was getting a bit more painful, but the looks on their faces made her stop, drop her arms, and wrinkle her brow further in confusion.

"Okay...Uh..Everyone this is really odd, but um it is time for me to go now. I will always remember you and miss you all. Please live good lives and take care of each other okay." Her words trailed off as a soft pulse was felt at her chest.

Looking down, she saw its soft glow, then with a quick glance up, Kagome smiled that soft sad smile. Bending down, she grasped her yellow backpack, along with her bow and quiver of arrows. Then she felt that familiar sucking sensation as she was pulled physically into the jewel of four souls, not crying out in either shock or pain. It made her glad at how far she had come since their journey had started. When the world became still once more, Kagome noted that she was once more in that white and black void, her only companion being her ancestor Midoriko. With raised eyebrows and amusement in her dark cobalt eyes, the woman stared at her, focusing on her forehead, making Kagome feel a bit insecure as she lifted her hand to rub at the spot where Sesshomaru's Youki had focused.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Silver Memories**_

_By_

_Im ur misconception_

I rubbed at my forehead, keeping my gaze on Midoriko's, and wondered what was so interesting about it. Pursing my lips, I brought my hand down to see if I wiped anything off, taking note that nothing was there. Thinking I had missed it, I raised my hand up once more to rub at the offending spot. Midoriko took a step towards me and grabbed my wrist firmly in her own hand to pull it back down to my side. She shook her head to indicate that I shouldn't keep rubbing at my forehead, leaving me to feel a bit more confused.

"Pray tell Lady Midoriko, what is on my forehead, since you are now refusing me the right to wipe it off?" I asked, making sure that my voice was calm as I spoke.

The reply I got was a soft, crystalline peal of laughter before she spoke. "Did the great Taiyokai of the West not tell you anything before you left? Cause he marked you with his house symbol. Here look for yourself."

Blinking my eyes a few times in consternation, I shifted my gaze to a mirror that she had materialized to her side. There in the center of my forehead was the magenta colored crescent moon, the mark of the house of the western lord. The comically shocked look on my face was something I could care less about at the moment, as the full implications of his words hit home. That egotistical bastard had marked me as if I was his mate to be. That, coupled with his words of ' No matter where you go, you are mine' rang over and over in my head as I gave a low growl worthy of a dog demon.

"That jerk! How imperious of him to mark me as his intended, or worse, property. I swear if I ever meet his incarnation, I might just have to strangle him." The sound of my voice to my own ears was deadly, like the sound of silk used to polish a sharp blade.

My words only caused my companion to burst out in hard laughter, as she watched me. I shifted my gaze to her, keeping my face blank yet serene and simply raised an eyebrow as I waited for her to stop laughing. Then again, one wouldn't think that the greatest Miko to ever live would have a warped since of humor and laugh like a braying donkey. After a few minutes, she calmed down and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes, her normally cool brown gaze now warm and dancing with her merriment.

"Now child of my blood, shall we get down to the specifics of what is going to happen to you in the very near future?" she asked, her voice still showing her amusement as she became a sedate, rational woman once more.

With a nod of my head, I indicated that she should go on, all the while bringing up my right hand to place it over my chest, where the Shikon no Tama now rested. It was an odd sensation to feel my own heart beat, on top of the gentle pulsing from the Jewel that now lay there. Already, I accepted the fact that I would, for as long as I lived, be the guardian and willing to bear the burden of it by choice.

"Good, you are going to a world were the earth is called Gaea. There are creatures that can only be called monsters as you will find out. Both natural from the part of the world that they live in, as well as created by science. To be frank, there is humanity, kind of like what your future is, but blended fairly equally with being natural or naturalistic. There is a corporation that fairly controls this world, and it is slowly killing the planet. NOW, this doesn't mean your new goal is to save the planet, Kagome. As you live there ,you will learn about it; any knowledge you will need will come from the Shikon which is now a part of your physical body and soul. Any questions?" Her voice was soft, as she spoke, though it was her slightly pained gaze that caught my attention.

Shaking my head no, I rubbed my chest before letting my hand drop to my side. Watching her carefully, I had the feeling that she wasn't allowed to tell me more than what she was telling me now. The Kami's were really harsh at times, and this was to be a part of my punishment for being selfish in my wishing. I placed an understanding smile on my lips as I let a small sigh escape them. Apparently, seeing the acceptance in my face helped Midoriko, since she visibly relaxed, making my smile only get bigger as I was hit with the sudden urge to laugh myself.

"About the Jewel Kagome, it is now a part of you. As time goes by, you will become more and more one with the jewel. Your time as a human will be slowed down to that of a demon's if you choose, which will be made easier since Sesshomaru shared his youki with you." She paused for a second, as if to figure out how to put her next words, before sighing and continuing on. "Kagome, the jewel will allow you to do a variety of things, even so far as to change your appearance and body. That means you can become taller, shorter, darker, lighter and to a small extent, change your sex. No matter what you do, you will always be a woman inside, but the outside..you can look male, should the situation call for it. But other than that, the Jewel will allow you to assimilate into the world easier. Now, it is time for you to go; farewell and take care, my blood."

Before I could say a single thing, Midoriko vanished, leaving me in shock. The pained look in her eyes as she had spoken turned to one of embarrassment as her cheeks turned red. Of course, I was pretty sure my face was just as red at what she had told me. That opened a lot of possibilities that could make things both more fun and harder on me. After Midoriko vanished, the space I was seemingly floating and standing at the same time in, turned black as red cracks began to appear. Then, without warning, I felt like I was falling at high speed. Closing my eyes, my mouth opened in a silent scream, as I began my descent to the new world in which I would belong.

It was an odd sensation to be free falling at a high speed, and even though my eyes were closed, I could still sense an overabundance of life flowing around me. However, it felt as if the life force that I was feeling, was poking and probing at me, as if it was a sentient thing to begin with. It would poke, caress, and tug at me as I fell from whereever I had been with Midoriko. As soon as a brightness began to creep into the blackness behind my closed eyes, I slowly opened them to see a world that was swathed in greens, browns, and blues all over. The sun was coming up over the horizon, casting its red, pink, and orange glow over the land, mountains, and most of all the water. This planet was very much like earth in that it had various sized masses of land. The beauty before me was utterly breathtaking, I realized as I was heading towards a small island in what I was guessing to be the southern hemisphere of this world.

Panic set in once more, and though I tried to remain calm, I failed miserably as the ground got larger and larger the closer I came to it. Once more, my mouth opened, but this time I heard the high pitched scream that was torn from my own throat as fear coursed all through me. The pulsing of the jewel in my chest began to pick up, giving me a calming sensation, choking off the scream as I took several deep gulping breaths of air to calm down. When I noticed that my speed was slowly decreasing, I began to glow a soft white, tinted with the pink of my own reiki, allowing me to let go of more and more of the panic.

"_You should have some faith in my skills and powers. I won't let anything happen to you, my guardian."_ A soft voice that was both feminine and masculine in one go whispered into my head, almost like an admonishing parent.

I looked around me, seeing no one as I looked down at the ground that was only about two hundred feet under me. Closing my eyes and focusing as I was taught on my reiki, I saw four small shadows floating around me. They had a distinctive shape, like the pieces of the Yin and Yang sign. Then it hit me what I was seeing was the four Tamas: Nigimatama, Aramatama, Sakimatama and Kushimatama, which represents the four main aspects of any soul. Relaxing, I felt the pressure of impact built up around me, before a rather loud reverberating boom echoed in all directions. Opening my eyes, I saw I was in a crater no deeper than 3 feet tall, floating two inches above the ground in what appeared to be a jungle.

I knew that if there were people near here, they would be coming to investigate where I had just landed. A small wave of trepidation flooding my body, I willed away the power keeping me off the ground. I dropped with a small puff of loose dirt around my feet, before turning and scrambling into the dense foliage of the jungle, where I did my best to hide from view, but stay in range to see where I landed as well as hear everything said. I didn't have to wait long before there were people who looked almost Asian in descent, with various shapes and sizes to their bodies. When they spoke, the language was very foreign to me for a few minutes, before I was suddenly able to understand them.

"It fell here, but there is nothing in the crater. What do you think this means?" A tall youth with long black hair pulled into a ponytail asked.

"It means that whatever fell was shattered, disintegrated, or is alive and has walked off. So, be careful from now on. No one leaves the village alone, or after dark. Not until we know what has happened, if it is a living being, or whether it is a threat," An elderly man, who was slightly hunched over said before turning and heading back into the jungle the way they had appeared.

Swallowing a few times, I listened and watched all this go on, "So I guess I am no longer in Tokyo anymore Buyo!" my voice breaking a few octaves as I spoke aloud, shocking me.

"_Well, of course you're not in Tokyo or feudal Japan anymore, Missy. Did you not listen to Lady Midoriko at all?" _A deep voice ,sounding rather irate, announced into my head, causing me to gasp, as a flash of red danced across my vision.

"_Now, now Ara, be nice to her. She had to adjust to a new world, meaning she has to learn new customs, languages, and hope that no one takes offense to her. And it is our job to help,."_ a soft female voice spoke in a soft loving mother-like tone with a flash of yellow across my vision.

"_Yes Saki is right, Ara-chin. The girl is still young, and she did listen very carefully to Lady Midoriko. Give her time please?"_ a soft shy voice spoke in reserved tones, just as a flash of blue crossed my vision once more.

"_Now, why don't all of us properly introduce ourselves to our new guardian? Otherwise we are not being polite."_ a rather happy-spirited voice sounded as a flash of green covered my vision.

Reeling from all the voices I was hearing in my head, on top of the bright flashes of colors, I closed my eyes, shaking my head a bit to get my bearings once more. After a few minutes, I slowly opened my eyes to see floating before me the ethereal bodies of the Mitama's in red, yellow, blue, and green. I felt my jaw drop open at the sight before me. They were the things of legends, but then again, I was jumping back and forth through an old dry well from my time to feudal Japan. So, why shouldn't I be able to see the Mitama's, just like I was able to see demons and other such mythological things?

Each one floated before me as they spoke, giving me their names and the basic functions that they would perform with me at my current abilities. All I could do was just nod my head as if I understood what they were telling in their short explanations. When it all finished, I continued to stare at them before my body did the only natural thing it could do after everything that had happened. The world went black as I passed out from the over stimulation that I had received today.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Silver Memories**_

_By_

_Im ur misconception_

**Day after Impact**

**Midgar, Shinra Inc. President's Office**

"WHAT! Why now, of all times, do you want to take a vacation, Professor Hojo!? Please explain it to me in detail," a short pudgy man asked from behind a large oak desk. His fingertips pressed together like the steeple of a church, while small squinty eyes bored into a man of medium height who stood across from him, garbed in a lab coat with dark hair and glasses.

"Well, a month and a half ago, you really stressed for me to take some time off when my wife Lucrecia disappeared. At that time, I didn't find it prudent to take one with all the important projects you had me doing, President Reginald Shinra," the man said, pushing his square-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose. "And I do so choose to take the vacation now. Also, I want to be left alone, so there will be no body guards I need. Where I go is my business. Was this not in the contract we worked out seventeen years ago when I signed up for the Labs under Dr. Ghast? Correct me if I am wrong, my dear respectable president."

There was a subtle twitch on the Presidents forehead as he took several shallow breaths, trying to contain his annoyance at the man before him. He knew that Kenya Hojo was correct about his contract, and some part of him had the feeling that the man's sudden interest in a vacation had to do with the meteorite that had impacted in the southern hemisphere of the planet. It was just the thing he didn't want this particular man to be around, until he had gotten his own hands on that lump of dirt's, precious metals. With a soft snort, Reginald Shinra pressed his lips into a thin line, grinding his teeth as he looked down at the scattered pile of papers on his desk. The man had made sure that he had all his affairs in order before submitting his vacation request. Knowing he was defeated even if he didn't like it, Reginald placed his hands on the edge of the desk and shoved the chair back from it. Quickly, he stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of the only good scientist he had, in spite of the fact that there was something seriously off with the man.

"Fine Hojo. I will give you your vacation, but you will be back in four weeks, which means your ass is here in this building the first of next month, clocking in on time for your shift in the labs and working hard on the Jenova project. I still think you shouldn't be leaving it alone for a month, even if the results of our number on super solider and general for the Shinra Army is stable," Reginald spoke, his voice laced heavily with defeat as he waved the man away.

Hojo looked at the small round man before him, making sure not to smile in a malicious manner as he bowed at the waist. When he stood back up, he noted the small petulant pout on the mans lip, before he turned and left the room without waiting for any other dismissal. His hands clasped behind his back as he hunched over, quickly making his way to the elevator. He had specific orders to give to his assistants about what was to be done and how during his absence. Already he was getting excited about his trip, knowing what landed wasn't a piece of dirt and metals but something much more interesting. If things went the way he hoped, it would turn out to be a wonderful new experiment, one that possibly could hold limitless possibilities, since the voice in his head said that it was a very unique and seemingly powerful being.

"_What do you recommend in the handling of the new specimen, Jenova? I don't want to harm it or make it mistrust me just yet,"_ he thought to the other person in his head.

"_I do not know right now, just that what landed was a human being that radiated a great amount of power. I am thankful to you, Hojo, for implanting my cells and consciousness into yourself until my son is ready enough to do what needs doing to help save this planet,"_ a distinctly female voice said softly, almost as if cooing to him.

**0000000000000**

**Mideel, one week after Impact**

After she had woken up from blacking out, Kagome had taken the time to listen to the Tama's and learn from them as best she could. Already, she had picked up the local dialect, speaking it as if it was her natural language. She had learned that she didn't need a bow and arrow to shoot off her power at things anymore, but rather she could summon it up at will. That fact alone made survival easy especially with hunting, since it killed the animals and strange beasts painlessly. In the last week, she also learned that she could tap into the jewels powers to alter her physical appearance. This was an amusing thing since the first thing she did was change into a man, only to find out that if she stayed in that form, Mother Nature still treated her as a female, which was rather awkward for her and hilarious for Ara Mi Tama.

Possibly the biggest thing she had learned was that she wouldn't be getting rid of the magenta-colored brand on her forehead. No matter what she had tried, the crescent moon had stayed there and probably always would. The next change came when she finally made contact with the only village on the island. It had happened on her fifth day there, she was out hunting when she heard the scream. Instinct made her run towards it to help, only to find a small boy on the ground surrounded by what she had come to term as Goblins. The boy was hurt, bleeding from a small head wound, as the creatures were closing in with jeering screeches at their prey. Without thinking, she had summoned her bow and shot a singular arrow into the group of beasts, purifying them all in one blow, leaving the boy stunned sitting on the ground looking at her, while she just blushed a dark red.

In the moments that followed she had gone to the boy, expecting him to run away screaming from her. When she had gotten close enough, she saw that this boy had accompanied the elder to her crash landing site. Shaking her head, she spoke softly to the boy as she let her bow dissipate, then squatting down by the silents boy's side. Reaching out, she had placed her hands over the wound on his head and willed it to be healed, causing the boy to gasp as crashing in the jungle under brush was heard, accompanied by shouting. She lifted her face up to find several men standing there, baring weapons, a clear indication that they were the village warriors.

A small smile on her lips, she recalled the three hours of conversation spent trying to explain things to them. Eventually, history repeated itself as she let herself be bound this time and taken to the village elder for his decision. She was thankful that he was like Kaede and let her speak her piece, before he ruled that she was not a threat. The next few days followed peacefully for her as she settled into the village, a bit of an outcast, but still allowed her to pull her weight.

"Hey Kagome, where are you going today? Can we come with you on your errands? PLEASE!" asked several small children who had taken a liking to her, after finding out about her healing of the young boy.

Turning, Kagome looked down at the children, a soft easy smile on her lips as she sighed. "Nope, not today. I am gonna go hunting for some herbs and such for me. How about when I get back, I play hide and seek or tag with you all? Does that sound like a fair plan?" she said softly, her blue eyes pleading with them to accept.

The kids looked at her for a few minutes before they stepped away. They huddled into a circle and talked in what they deemed a secretive whisper, which she could hear clearly. Her lips pressed into a thin line while still smiling, trying not to laugh aloud. They made her miss her adoptive son, Shippo. The children broke out of the circle, coming to stand before her, hands on their hips trying to look contemplative with great speculation in their faces. To her it was adorable, but she knew that they were trying to act like adults, so all Kagome could do was raise her eyebrows and put an expression of curiosity on her face.

"We have discussed it, and we accept your propa..propos.. We agree with your idea, Kagome. So hurry and come back quickly, okay?" a girl with green eyes and short brown hair said, nodding her head as if her words were law and expected to be obeyed.

"I will do as you have asked Cali. Thank you for allowing me to do my errands. It is most gracious of you, my friends. Bye bye," Kagome said, making her voice sound grateful as the children squealed and ran off to play some where else.

She watched the kids as they ran away, as a feeling of being watched tingled down her spine. Slowly, she let her eyes roam around before catching the gaze of several of the adults. The looks on their faces were still very wary of her, but the smiles on their lips spoke of their approval of how she had handled the kids. Giving them a bright smile and a quick wave of her hand, Kagome turned and left the village.

The sites and sounds of the jungle thrilled her, since her senses were now enhanced greatly between her new powers and Sesshomaru's youki coursing through her body. She was still trying to get used to all of it, and knew that she had a long way to go. It would come in time according to Kusi and Nigi who seemed to root for her, while Saki was on the line, and Ara seemed to think her an incompetent ditz. While she knew she couldn't deny being a ditz, Kagome didn't like being thought of as incompetent. In fact, it grated on her nerves, since she had dealt with it the whole time she traveled with InuYasha.

At the thought of the hanyou, Kagome felt a small pain in her chest, letting her know that she missed her friends. She couldn't help but wonder just how they were doing, and what had happened. Giving a sigh, she closed her eyes and let her senses spread out from where she was now standing. Kagome felt a sharp pain in the back of her skull, a signal that someone was poking around the barrier she had put up around the place she had crashed. Something deep within her told her it wasn't the villagers since they tended to avoid the place. With that, her eyes snapped open before narrowing to dark shiny blue slits of annoyance.

Turning slowly in the direction of her crash site, Kagome summoned her power, taking care to mask it as she ran at a speed that looked like nothing more than a blurred image. In a matter of minutes, she was at the edge of the clearing around the site. Keeping herself hidden from view like she had that first day, she observed a man who looked to be in his late twenties to his early thirties poking around the barrier, muttering to himself. Her senses told her that something about this man was just not right, as if he was a foreign entity like her and didn't belong, or that was what it felt like someone was telling her. She had yet to learn what it was that would whisper things like that into her mind at times, but when she had questioned the Tama's, all she had gotten was 'The planet speaks', leaving her confused.

"You do know that it is rude to keep oneself hidden from view and watch other people work. Unless you are a voyeur," the man spoke, lifting his head up briefly to look at where she was hiding.

She felt the breath leave her chest in a whoosh of air. Blinking her eyes once she replied, "Yes I guess it is, but I am no voyeur sir. But you should know it is rude to poke around places without permission from the people who live in the area."

A soft, dry chuckle escaped the man as he stood up from his stooped position, giving her hiding spot full attention. He cocked his head to the side as if listening to something, then spoke up. "Well, you are correct, yet wrong there young lady. So, why don't you come out and speak to me, unless I scare you," he said, his voice almost mocking.

Kagome narrowed her eyes a bit, as that soft voice told her to be careful, and stepped from her hiding spot so the man could see her in her short green skirt, white sailor school shirt, sans socks or shoes. "You do not scare me, so much as something about you leaves me feeling very unsettled. So I ask you, what is your name and purpose here? Because I am sure that the villagers wouldn't appreciate you poking around their land," she asked, her tone calm, neutral and totally unassuming.

Once more, the man chuckled softly and dryly before speaking to her, "Ah you are an odd one, if not very perceptive. My name is Kenya Hojo. I work in the world's largest city, Midgar as its top scientist. My purpose is this impact site and the person who landed here, who I take, from your odd clothes and strange markings, would be you." His thin lips curved up in a small knowing smile, daring her to lie.

Kagome felt her eyebrows jump to her hair line as she looked at the man with his brazen audacity. The smile on her lips became thin to indicate she didn't appreciate the way he worded his sentence. "Perceptive is something I have learned over the last few years, Hojo. And you make great assumptions, which if you are wrong, makes an ass out of both you and me." Her voice was a bit cold. "Also my name is Kagome Higurashi. And sorry, but I cannot say that making your acquaintance is a pleasure I like."

She watched Hojo carefully after speaking, only to raise her eyebrows to her hair line again as the man laughed once more. The laugh reminded her of Naraku in some odd manner, causing her nerves to twinge, though she kept totally still. Her calm blue eyes stayed trained while her body looked relaxed and lucid, but in reality was tighter than a wound-up steel spring. After his laughter died off, she noted he shuffled forward to the barrier and tapped on it, causing an idea to pop into her head. Her lips lifted in a smile that would do Sesshomaru proud at how cold and cruel it seemed.

Kagome tilted her head to the side as he tapped on the barrier once more, but this time when he tapped, she opened up a small hole, allowing him to fall into it just before she sealed it up. The smile on her lips only grew wider as the man picked himself up off the ground with a slightly dazed and confused look on his face, before he trained flat black eyes, narrowed in a mix of thoughtful contemplation and annoyance, at her. Shaking her head with a sigh, she took those few steps toward the barrier and crouched down so she was eye level with him, neither saying a word, but both fighting for dominance over the other using will power. And it was hard for her not to crow her happiness when he looked away.

"I do not know how you put me in here, but I am going to make the hypothetical guess that you created this shield or barrier. Now let me out of here. I do not make a good caged animal, Ms. Higurashi," Hojo said in a soft voice that seemed to be dual-toned. As he walked to the edge of the barrier to stand before her, he placed a hand on it, which resulted in him being flung back hand smoking from being shocked by pure energy.

Kagome frowned a bit as a thought occurred to her. Standing up, she looked down at Hojo with curiosity in her sky blue eyes as she spoke in a calm soft voice, "Whatever had been telling me that you are not a natural being is correct. If you were a normal human, the energy that creates this barrier wouldn't have affected you, let alone have harmed you at all. Now you have my full attention, because I want to see what type of demon you are. Then, and only then, can we talk."

Stepping away as she began to summon her powers to her, she noted Hojo staring at her with a mix of intense hate, anger, fascination and fear. On some level, it pleased her to see it, but it also caused shame to well up inside her from feeling that pleasure, indicating that her miko powers and the demon youki in her were conflicting once more. Giving a small shake of her head, Kagome let her power spring around her in a bright but soft pink aura, before lifting her hand and flicking it towards the barrier, transferring the power from her to the barrier.

She studied Hojo, as he watched her power surface and make the connection before he screamed in pain, writhing in agony where he stood. Her body flinched at the pain she felt coming from not only him, but the thing that was inside of him as they separated into two distinct beings. Hojo looked paler, and a lot older then he had a few seconds before, while next to him was tall, thin black thing, distinctly female with twitching tentacles for legs and arms. Those flat, black eyes that had been Hojo's seconds ago now stared out of the female's face with hate and anger, making Kagome blink before she turned her gaze to the man whose eyes now appeared human, a soft green with gray specks in them.

Something inside her told her this was the thing she had waited for in the week she had been in this world. So stepping close to the barrier, she crouched down once more, addressing both of the barrier's occupants. "Well, I can see that you are a twisted little man, but you have given me an idea and purpose. So listen closely cause it will benefit both of us and that alien you have implanted in your body, Hojo, meaning I wont purify it, essentially killing it. You are a scientist and want a new test subject, if I don't miss my guess. Am I right?"

Kenya Hojo lifted his gaze up to the girl, after taking a good look at what the Jenova cells had become in his body. He was more than curious where this was gonna lead. Speaking in a mono-toned voice, he said, "You would be correct, Ms. Higurashi. I do want a new test subject. More so, I want you to be it, since you are demonstrating interesting abilities, but I see no material on your person."

At his words Kagome smiled a bright, sweet, happy smile, making Hojo blink and step back further from the barrier and her. Something in that smile made him feel as if he was not the evil one, with an evil entity residing in him, or rather by him at the moment, but the woman before him was the evil incarnate. Kagome noted his reaction, and let out a small laugh as words rang in her mind, _"You woman are just as alien as I am, but at least I have a goal and purpose here on this planet, where you do not."_

The smile that had been on Kagome's face faded away as she looked at the alien creature, and slammed her mental consciousness into its own mind, finding out that it called itself Jenova, that it hopped from planet to planet, destroying them, and would use any method to achieve that goal. But the thing that made her more amused was the fact that this wasn't the original body of the alien Jenova. "Oh you are right. I come from a whole other dimension. Not that I know if it is parallel to this one or not, which no longer matters, Jenova. But shush, I will get to you in a minute, and stay out of my mind. You leave an oily residue, which is nasty feeling really." Her voice was calm, but harder than iron, making the alien flinch back from her hissing.

Turning her attention back to Hojo who was now slack jawed, Kagome smiled once more at him as she spoke in a soft authoritative voice. "Good, I am glad you didn't lie to me. I abhor people who lie to me. I have a deal to make with you, since I know I am not to stay on this island the whole time I live in this world, Hojo-sama. There is a small village here, about two miles east of this crash site. I want you to go to there and talk to the elder, asking if you can study the culture and surrounding area. For however long you are able to remain on this island, to be exact. In a days time, I will return to that village, and we should act like we have never met. No suspicion or harm should come from the village folk or to them, cause I wont hesitate to kill that thing in you, making you feel every damned last second of it. At the end of the time you are here, I will personally come to you and ask if I may travel with you to see the world, meaning I will submit myself to being your test subject, working as a mutually beneficial team. BUT here is my one big condition Hojo-sama - you ever try to inject the cells of that thing into me, I will kill you before I kill it."

Audible swallowing could be heard from both Hojo and Jenova at her words. As she stayed there in that crouched position, watching his mind quickly thinking over what she had proposed, she heard a derisive snort in the back of her head, sounding distinctly like Ara Mi Tama. When nothing was said, she waited silently, watching each of the occupants in the barrier. Kagome was glad she didn't have to wait long before Hojo coughed and walked up to the barrier, which he gave a leery look before touching it with his hand, signaling he had accepted her terms. Her lips pressed into a thin line to hold in a laugh at his amazement when he wasn't shocked and thrown back this time.

"What you ask for isn't too bad. I have until the end of this month, but I would like to leave a week and a half before since travel to the main continent takes a few days. Is that okay with you? And please can you return us to the way we were before and let me out?" he said in a very polite voice that barely concealed his giddiness over getting a new experiment.

Standing up and stepping away from the barrier, Kagome nodded her head and lifted her hand once more, waving it left to right, causing the alien Jenova to slam back into Hojo's body with a bit more force than was necessary but gave her much amusement. Then as she turned, she caused the barrier to glow brightly before it gave a small popping sound. Not waiting to watch as Hojo climbed out of the small crater, she made her way back into the jungle to finish her hunting and gathering of herbs. She had a previous promise that had to be kept at any cost, for she hated seeing children upset or crying.


End file.
